this Department of Homeland Security The Department of Homeland Security is reviewing immigration and naturalization cases involving immigrants from 19 countries of concern, including Somalia, to determine whether anyone obtained U.S. citizenship through fraud, potentially leading to deprivation of citizenship, the department confirmed to Fox News.

“Under U.S. law, a person can be deprived of citizenship if he or she fraudulently obtained citizenship,” Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement to Fox News.

The review focuses on whether fraud occurred during the immigration or naturalization process, such as marriage fraud or misrepresentation to obtain legal status or citizenship.

The confirmation comes amid calls from Republican lawmakers for tougher consequences. Minnesota’s ongoing child care fraud scandalalleged misuse of federal funds involving millions of dollars.

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Minnesota’s Quality Learning Center has been found to be at the center of the state’s alleged child care fraud scandal. (Madeleine Fuerst/Fox News Channel)

The Department of Homeland Security emphasizes that deprivation of citizenship or deprivation of citizenship is governed by strict legal standards and applies only in limited circumstances.

The review included cases related to 19 countries deemed worthy of concern by the Department of Homeland Security, including Somalia. The Department of Homeland Security did not specify how many cases are currently under review or whether any individuals have been referred for denaturalization proceedings.

Denationalization is a rare and intense legal process. Historically, since the 1990s, the federal government has pursued only a dozen to dozens of cases each year.

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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reviewing immigration and naturalization cases involving immigrants from 19 relevant countries, including Somalia. (iStock)

Prosecutors must prove that citizenship was obtained illegally, and convictions for deprivation of citizenship carry a high burden of proof, with prosecutions often taking years.

The review comes as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services moved on Tuesday to freeze child care fees in Minnesota, citing alleged fraud by day care providers in the state.

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Minnesota Governor Tim Walz claims he has been working to stop fraud in the state for years. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill said the state “drove millions of taxpayer dollars to fraudulent day care centers” over the past decade, prompting the agency to withhold payments while it reviews the matter.

The Department of Homeland Security has not provided a timeline for the review or indicated whether it will move forward with any denaturalization cases in the near future.

Fox News Digital’s Luis Casciano contributed to this report.